donk: “I’ve grown up — now I’m playing to make my team shine, not just chasing kills”

donk: “I’ve grown up — now I’m playing to make my team shine, not just chasing kills”

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donk Reflects on a New Mindset: Team First, Not Personal Glory

In a recent interview with HLTV.org ahead of Stage 3 of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, Russian rising star Danil "donk" Kryshkovets shared a significant change in his approach: “I changed the way I think.” He admitted that in the past his focus was on getting kills and making a visible impact — but now, he’s prioritizing team success over individual glory. 

donk emphasized that while he still performs his role — entry fragging, creating space — his priorities are different: “These past tournaments made me think that I have to do everything to make my team shine, my teammates — and now I have the mentality that I don't really need to kill someone.” 

He also noted that the shift in roster — with new players joining Spirit — forced the team to rework their system. The recent focus has been on integrating the new players, helping them feel confident and comfortable within the structure. donk said his role remains the same, but what changed is how he values his own impact. 

In addition to this mental evolution, donk mentions another difference: he has become more vocal in-game. He now speaks up more, guiding the team, which complements his personal change in mentality. 

Finally, donk addressed the possibility of repeating his previous success — last year, he was instrumental in Spirit’s win at the Perfect World Shanghai Major and was crowned MVP. While he said he’s fine with his second-place finish in the Player of the Year race, he believes he’s “in the kind of form that could see you do the same thing again this year.” 

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How This Fits into donk’s Recent Trajectory

• Earlier in 2025, donk expressed satisfaction with his growth, saying he felt he was continuously improving as a player.

• After a rough patch in which his team — Spirit — faced disappointing tournament finishes and a major roster shuffle (with players like tN1R and zweih replacing previous members), donk’s new attitude appears to be a response to those struggles and a way to stabilize team performance.

Taken together, this signals a potentially more balanced and mature future for both donk and Spirit — one where teamwork and cohesion may take precedence over individual heroics.